Ticketmaster and StubHub are two of the biggest companies in the secondary ticket market, but they have some key differences. In the opening paragraphs, we’ll provide quick answers to common questions about Ticketmaster and StubHub to give an overview of how they compare.
Quick Answers
Is Ticketmaster the same as StubHub? No, Ticketmaster and StubHub are not the same. Ticketmaster is a primary ticket outlet that sells tickets directly on behalf of event organizers. StubHub is a secondary ticket marketplace where resellers can sell tickets.
Is Ticketmaster owned by StubHub? No, Ticketmaster and StubHub are competitors and owned by different parent companies. Ticketmaster is owned by Live Nation. StubHub is owned by Viagogo.
Do Ticketmaster and StubHub sell the same tickets? No. Ticketmaster sells primary market tickets directly from the source. StubHub sells secondary market tickets from resellers. However, there may be overlap for popular events.
Can you sell tickets on StubHub that you bought from Ticketmaster? Yes, if you purchased tickets through Ticketmaster you are allowed to resell them on StubHub or other secondary marketplaces.
Ticketmaster Overview
Ticketmaster is a ticket sales and distribution company based in Beverly Hills, California. It is a primary ticket outlet that sells tickets directly to consumers on behalf of concert promoters, professional sports franchises, theater producers, museums, theme parks and other event organizers.
Ticketmaster has exclusive deals with many major venues, teams and events to be their official and only ticketing service. This gives them a huge share of the primary ticket market.
A few key facts about Ticketmaster:
- Founded in 1976 in Phoenix, Arizona
- Owned by Live Nation Entertainment, the largest live entertainment company in the world
- Sells over 485 million tickets per year
- Ticket sales of over $29 billion in 2019
- Charges convenience fees on each ticket sold
- Official ticketing partner for hundreds of major venues, sports teams and events
- Provides ticketing services for about 70% of major concert venues in the US
Ticketmaster sells tickets through its website, mobile app, phone centers and box office outlets. It dominates the primary ticket market in the US and internationally. Consumers can purchase tickets directly from Ticketmaster for most major concerts, sporting events and live entertainment.
Ticketmaster Pricing
For most events, Ticketmaster sets the initial ticket prices based on the event organizer’s preferences. The event organizer determines what ticket prices they want to list their tickets for. Ticketmaster then adds on convenience fees to each ticket sold.
Convenience fees add 15-25% to the base price of the ticket. They cover Ticketmaster’s costs for operating its platform and services. Buyers will see these fees calculated at checkout.
In addition, some events will have dynamically priced tickets for desirable seats. The prices on these tickets fluctuate over time based on demand. Dynamic pricing aims to capture the true market value of seats and assign higher prices for more in-demand tickets.
Ticketmaster also facilitates a legal secondary ticket marketplace through ticket exchanges and fan-to-fan resale. If fans resell tickets through Ticketmaster’s approved resale channels, the company collects a percentage of the resale price as a fee.
StubHub Overview
StubHub is an online ticket marketplace where people can buy and sell tickets for sports, concerts, theater and other live entertainment events. It is the largest ticket resale marketplace in the United States.
Unlike Ticketmaster, StubHub does not actually sell the tickets themselves. Instead, they connect buyers and sellers in a secure, online platform. StubHub takes a commission from sellers when tickets are sold.
Some key details about StubHub:
- Founded in 2000 in San Francisco, California
- Owned by Viagogo, an international secondary ticket marketplace
- Over 10 million unique visitors per month
- Sales of over $4 billion annually
- Charges a 10-15% commission on each sale
- Has mobile apps, web platform and customer service centers
- Sells tickets in over 40 countries
StubHub offers a large secondary ticket marketplace where regular people and professional ticket brokers can resell event tickets. Fans can find tickets to sold out events or prices below or above face value on StubHub.
StubHub Pricing
StubHub ticket prices are set by sellers, based on what they believe the market will pay. Ticket holders can list their tickets for free and choose their own ticket price on StubHub.
StubHub’s marketplace pricing is driven by supply and demand. For high demand events, prices typically go above face value. Less desirable events often get listed below face value. StubHub marketplace pricing gives fans options.
Buyers pay the ticket price set by sellers plus StubHub fees. These fees include:
- 10-15% commission on the ticket price
- Shipping fees if tickets are delivered
- Electronic processing fee
StubHub fees mean that buyers usually pay 15-20% above the ticket price listed. Seller payouts are the ticket price less StubHub’s commission and fees.
Comparing Ticketmaster and StubHub
Now that we’ve provided an overview of each company, let’s directly compare some key differences between Ticketmaster and StubHub:
Feature | Ticketmaster | StubHub |
---|---|---|
Type of Marketplace | Primary ticket seller | Secondary ticket marketplace |
Tickets Sold By | The event organizer | Ticket resellers (fans, brokers, etc) |
Pricing Control | Event organizer sets initial price | Sellers set ticket prices |
Fees | Convenience fees added to ticket price | Commission and fees deducted from seller payout |
Events | Major concerts, sports, theaters, more | All sold out/resale events |
A few key differences stand out:
- Ticketmaster sells primary market tickets directly on behalf of events. StubHub has a resale marketplace between buyers and resellers.
- Ticketmaster tickets are initially priced by the organizer. StubHub ticket prices are set by sellers.
- Ticketmaster mainly handles major events. StubHub has a larger range of events, including sold out shows.
- Ticketmaster charges convenience fees to buyers. StubHub deducts commissions and fees from seller payouts.
In essence, Ticketmaster handles primary ticket sales for big events. StubHub enables resales between fans. But there is some overlap for hot events.
Can You Sell Ticketmaster Tickets on StubHub?
Yes, it is possible to sell tickets purchased on Ticketmaster on StubHub.
Once you buy event tickets through Ticketmaster, you own those tickets. As the ticket owner, you have the right to resell or transfer those tickets however you see fit.
Many fans take advantage of this to resell their tickets and make extra money. Or they resell to cut their losses if they can no longer attend an event.
There are a few things to keep in mind when reselling Ticketmaster tickets on StubHub:
- Make sure to transfer or ship tickets safely and securely to avoid issues
- Avoid listings that break Ticketmaster’s or StubHub’s policies
- Reselling may be restricted for specialized ticket types like season passes
- Sellers handle all delivery arrangements and costs with buyers
As long as you follow the platforms’ guidelines, you can freely relist your Ticketmaster tickets on StubHub. StubHub provides a major secondary outlet to reach buyers willing to pay more for tickets in-demand events.
Is There an Agreement Between StubHub and Ticketmaster?
No, StubHub and Ticketmaster are independent competitors without any formal business agreement. However, there are sometimes informal partnerships between the companies.
For example, Ticketmaster has an NFL ticket exchange partnership with StubHub. For NFL games, fans can resell game tickets directly back to the NFL ticket office for other fans to purchase. StubHub powers this NFL ticket exchange platform through a deal with Ticketmaster.
So while StubHub and Ticketmaster remain fully independent, they cooperate on some initiatives that make sense for fans. This includes fan-to-fan ticket exchanges for certain leagues or events.
Another area where Ticketmaster and StubHub indirectly connect is data sharing. Ticketmaster provides StubHub with ticket barcode information to help prevent fraud and unauthorized ticket resales. This is another area where it benefits both companies to collaborate.
Is One Better Than the Other?
Ticketmaster and StubHub both fill important roles in the ticket marketplace. Neither is conclusively “better” overall since they focus on different segments.
Some key considerations on which may be better for different users:
- For buyers – StubHub may have more options for sold out popular events. Ticketmaster ensures authenticity for high-profile events.
- For sellers – StubHub provides a larger secondary market marketplace to resell tickets. Ticketmaster only allows resales through approved channels.
- For events – Ticketmaster is essential for major events to handle ticketing at scale. StubHub offers secondary market distribution.
In general, Ticketmaster is better for popular primary market events. StubHub provides a wider resale marketplace. Casual fans are often better served by StubHub’s selection and prices.
Conclusion
While Ticketmaster and StubHub participate in the same ticket industry, they serve different roles. Ticketmaster dominates as a primary event ticketing platform. StubHub operates a vast secondary marketplace for ticket resales.
Key differences include:
- Ticketmaster sells first-hand tickets on behalf of events; StubHub has ticket resellers
- Ticket prices are set by organizers on Ticketmaster and sellers on StubHub
- Ticketmaster handles major concerts, sports and theaters; StubHub covers a wider range of events
- Fees are charged to buyers on Ticketmaster and deducted from sellers on StubHub
Fans can sell Ticketmaster tickets on StubHub to reach a broader secondary market. But the companies remain fully independent rivals.
For primary event tickets, Ticketmaster still dominates. For resold tickets, StubHub offers a valuable marketplace. Understanding their key differences helps fans choose the best platform for their ticket needs.